1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of gas cooking appliances and, more particularly, to an apparatus for testing for the presence of a spark provided to ignite a gas burner of a gas cooking appliance.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The operation of gas appliances is known in the art, including the incorporation of a spark module and an electronic igniter which are adapted to provide a spark to a gas burner. Correspondingly, problems associated with spark ignition systems, including diagnosing malfunctioning spark modules and electronic igniters, are also well known. As with most electrical devices, the spark ignition system can wear out and fail over time. Field technicians face the problem of isolating the failed components from the system. Without proper testing equipment, the technician can find himself replacing functioning components. Mainly due to time and other cost constraints, service technicians, when on an ignition related service call, will very often simply replace a spark module, in addition to any other suspected malfunctioning ignition components instead of actually determining the specific malfunctioning component on site. However, subsequent testing of the field returned spark modules has revealed that approximately 50% of the modules functioned normally and should not have been replaced. Certainly, other ignition components are also being unjustifiably replaced.
Replacing spark modules can represent a costly operation. Often the module is located in a hard-to-access portion of an appliance. The awkward location of the module results in the technician spending unnecessary time and effort which can be avoided if the module could be eliminated as a potential problem. Accordingly, a device that can test the functionality of the spark module and associated spark wires in the field would be a labor saver for the service technician and represent a significant cost savings for all concerned parties. Particularly, such a device would directly reduce the cost of service calls, and the customer or manufacturer will no longer need to bear the cost associated with unnecessary replacements. Accordingly, there exists a need for a spark tester adapted to test for the presence of a spark in a cooking appliance in order to readily isolate malfunctioning ignition components.
A portable spark tester constructed in accordance with the present invention is provided to enable a technician to conveniently field test the functionality of a cooking appliance spark ignition system, the major components of which are: burners, gas igniters, a spark module and spark wires. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the spark tester includes a two part housing having a top portion and a base portion, as well as a plurality of electrical conductive cables having a first end adapted to attach to the terminal end of a spark wire and a second end terminating in an electrode mounted within the housing. The base portion includes a transmission zone including a plurality of spark gaps defined between a central electrode mounted to the base portion and each one of the spark wire electrodes. The central electrode may take various forms, such as a cross or an annular, disk element. The width of the gaps are generally set to an upper specification limit of a defined burner spark gap, or alternatively beyond the upper limit such as to provide for a more severe test.
In operation, the spark wire associated with each gas igniter is detached from an associated spark electrode, a respective one of the plurality of conductive cables is connected to an associated one of the spark wires, a control is operated to produce an electrical current, and the spark gaps located within the area of the central electrode are observed for the presence of electrical sparks.
Through this simple operation, a technician can isolate and test various components in order to substantially reduce the unnecessary costs associated with the replacement of properly functioning components. Accordingly, the spark tester of the present invention will provide the technician with a necessary tool to efficiently perform tests on the spark ignition system.
In any event, additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.